Polybius, Histories

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Book 15 - Chapter 16

1
<w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnas">προειρημένας</w> <w lemma="ai%29ti%2Fas">αἰτίας</w>. <w lemma="a%29ll%27">ἀλλ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fmws">ὅμως</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fkasta">ἕκαστα</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftwn">τούτων</w> <w lemma="ou%28%2Ftws">οὕτως</w> <w lemma="e%29ndexome%2Fnws">ἐνδεχομένως</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anni%2Fbas">Ἀννίβας</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="lo%2Fgon">λόγον</w> <w lemma="h%28rmo%2Fsato">ἡρμόσατο</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="w%28%2Fsq%27">ὥσθ᾽</w> <w lemma="u%28perbolh%5Cn">ὑπερβολὴν</w> <w lemma="mh%5C">μὴ</w> <w lemma="katalipei%3Dn">καταλιπεῖν</w>.
2
<w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29lefa%2Fntwn">ἐλεφάντων</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="au%29th%3Ds">αὐτῆς</w> <w lemma="pareskeua%2Fsato">παρεσκευάσατο</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="proeba%2Fleto">προεβάλετο</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="suntara%2Fcai">συνταράξαι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diaspa%2Fsai">διασπάσαι</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="ta%2Fceis">τάξεις</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28penanti%2Fwn:">ὑπεναντίων·</w>
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<w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="misqofo%2Frous">μισθοφόρους</w> <w lemma="proe%2Ftace">προέταξε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fous">Καρχηδονίους</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fqhke">ἔθηκε</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w> <w lemma="e%28%2Fneka">ἕνεκα</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="proeklu%3Dsai">προεκλῦσαι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="ko%2Fpw%7C">κόπῳ</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="sw%2Fmata">σώματα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fwn">πολεμίων</w>, <w lemma="a%29xreiw%3Dsai">ἀχρειῶσαι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29kma%5Cs">ἀκμὰς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fplwn">ὅπλων</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="foneuome%2Fnwn">φονευομένων</w>, <w lemma="a%29nagka%2Fsai">ἀναγκάσαι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Akarxhdoni%2Fous">Καρχηδονίους</w> <w lemma="me%2Fsous">μέσους</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fntas">ὄντας</w> <w lemma="me%2Fnein">μένειν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxesqai">μάχεσθαι</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="poihth%5Cn">ποιητὴν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Ffra">ὄφρα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="e%29qe%2Flwn">ἐθέλων</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w> <w lemma="a%29nagkai%2Fh%7C">ἀναγκαίῃ</w> <w lemma="polemi%2Fzoi">πολεμίζοι</w>.
4
<w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="maximwta%2Ftous">μαχιμωτάτους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="stasimwta%2Ftous">στασιμωτάτους</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="a%29posta%2Fsei">ἀποστάσει</w> <w lemma="parene%2Fbale">παρενέβαλε</w> <w lemma="xa%2Frin">χάριν</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="proorwme%2Fnous">προορωμένους</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="pollou%3D">πολλοῦ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sumbai%3Dnon">συμβαῖνον</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diame%2Fnontas">διαμένοντας</w> <w lemma="a%29kerai%2Fous">ἀκεραίους</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="sw%2Fmasi">σώμασι</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="yuxai%3Ds">ψυχαῖς</w> <w lemma="su%5Cn">σὺν</w> <w lemma="kairw%3D%7C">καιρῷ</w> <w lemma="xrh%2Fsasqai">χρήσασθαι</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="sfete%2Frais">σφετέραις</w> <w lemma="a%29retai%3Ds">ἀρεταῖς</w>.
5
<w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fnta">πάντα</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="dunata%5C">δυνατὰ</w> <w lemma="poih%2Fsas">ποιήσας</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="nika%3Dn">νικᾶν</w> <w lemma="e%29sfa%2Flh">ἐσφάλη</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftou">τούτου</w> <w lemma="xro%2Fnon">χρόνον</w> <w lemma="a%29h%2Ftthtos">ἀήττητος</w> <w lemma="w%29%2Fn">ὤν</w>, <w lemma="suggnw%2Fmhn">συγγνώμην</w> <w lemma="dote%2Fon:">δοτέον·</w>
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<w lemma="e%29%2Fsti">ἔστι</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fte">ὅτε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tau%29to%2Fmaton">ταὐτόματον</w> <w lemma="a%29nte%2Fprace">ἀντέπραξε</w> <w lemma="tai%3Ds">ταῖς</w> <w lemma="e%29pibolai%3Ds">ἐπιβολαῖς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29gaqw%3Dn">ἀγαθῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29ndrw%3Dn">ἀνδρῶν</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fsti">ἔστι</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fte">ὅτε</w> <w lemma="pa%2Flin">πάλιν</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="paroimi%2Fan">παροιμίαν</w> <w lemma="e%29sqlo%5Cs">ἐσθλὸς</w> <w lemma="e%29w%5Cn">ἐὼν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllou">ἄλλου</w> <w lemma="krei%2Fttonos">κρείττονος</w> <w lemma="a%29nte%2Ftuxen:">ἀντέτυχεν·</w> <w lemma="o%28%5C">ὃ</w> <w lemma="dh%5C">δὴ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="gegone%2Fnai">γεγονέναι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%3Dnon">ἐκεῖνον</w> <w lemma="fh%2Fseien">φήσειεν</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fn">ἄν</w> <w lemma="tis">τις</w>. —
But nevertheless to meet each of these advantages Hannibal had shown incomparable skill in adopting at the critical moment all such measures as were in his power and could reasonably be expected to succeed.
For he had hastily collected that large number of elephants and had placed them in front on the day of battle in order to throw the enemy into confusion and break his ranks.
He had placed the mercenaries in advance with the Carthaginians behind them in order that the Romans before the final engagement might be fatigued by their exertions and that their swords might lose their edge owing to the great slaughter, and also in order to compel the Carthaginians thus hemmed in on both sides to stand fast and fight, in the words of Homer<quote><l>That e'en the unwilling might be forced to fight.</l></quote>
The most efficient and steadiest of his troops he had placed behind at a certain distance in order that, anticipating and witnessing from afar what took place, they might with undiminished strength and spirit make use of their qualities at the proper time.
If he, who had never as yet suffered defeat, after taking every possible step to insure victory, yet failed to do so, we must pardon him.
For there are times when Fortune counteracts the plans of valiant men, and again at times, as the proverb says, "A brave man meets another braver yet," as we may say happened in the case of Hannibal.